21 incidents & 0 update (6/26/11)

2011 Fatality Tracker

Industrial

OIL RIG Midland Man Injured in Industrial Accident (a man was rushed to the hospital after an industrial accident a Drilling Rig around 10 a.m. – the worker was caught got caught between a pipe and the structure of the rig – he is in serious condition)

MINE FATALITY B2Gold worker dies at mine in Nicaragua after heavy rains, mine flooding (a worker, 35, missing since last weekend when part of its underground mine flooded after heavy rains has been confirmed dead – 25 of 26 workers were safely evacuated after a portion of mine began flooding at about 4:30 p.m. on June 18)

CONFINED SPACE FLASH FIRE Worker engulfed in flames: workmates’ quick action saves boilermaker’s life (worker, 48, a self-employed boilermaker, was working as a sub-contractor in a boat-building operation when he was suddenly engulfed in flames – he ran screaming from inside a barge which he was spray painting – paramedics who treated him at the scene have praised the quick thinking of two workmates who grabbed a hose and continued to douse him in water until medical help arrived – he suffered burns to 15 per cent of his body, including third degree burns to his arms and hands, and second degree burns to his face and the top of his head – he underwent skin grafts within hours of the accident – he spent three days in intensive care being being transferred to the hospital’s burns unit – all he remembers about June 16 was spray painting inside the confines of a barge that was under construction, around two o’clock – it’s believed a halogen light inside the confined space, combined with paint fumes, may have been the reason for the build-up of heat and resulting fire)

FIRE Industrial accident in Stevensville (a female employee was working on a large metal object, when her clothing caught on fire – workers immediately assisted the female, extinguishing the fire – she was transported to a Medical Center where she is listed in serious, but stable condition – it is unknown as to the extent of the injuries)

ELECTRICAL – LINEMAN Utility worker taken to hospital after accident (a utility worker is is in the hospital after he was shocked while working on a downed power line – he was taken to a Medical Center after he was shocked around 1:30 in a rural area – he thought the line was no longer energized, but when he touched it, the electricity burned his hands – he was able to lower himself down and an ambulance took him to the hospital – he has worked with the utility for 30 years)

LPG CYLINDER EXPLOSION Four hurt in Penang blast (three goldsmiths, all 28, and a female worker were injured in a blast at a gold processing centre – one worker sustained serious head injuries and 60% burns to his body and is in the intensive care unit – one worker received outpatient treatment, while the third worker was admitted to another private hospital – several cars parked below were damaged as debris fell due to the impact – the blast was believed to have originated from the cooking area where the victims were processing gold – a liquefied petroleum gas cylinder had leaked before catching fire and exploding)

FIRE Minor fire at Kelowna mill (a minor fire at a mill around 1:30 pm. – a worker reported flames in the ceiling – the fire originated in an electrical motor in a rooftop fan and once crews de-energized the equipment, the fire burned itself out – the fire only involved some insulation around the junction box)

REFINERY FIRE Fire breaks out at western oil refinery (crews controlled and contained a fire in the boiler section number 8 of the refinery – no casualties were reported – the flames, which began at the boiler, reached the boiler’s fuel tanks but firefighters’ efforts kept the situation from becoming more serious – it took 45 minutes to extinguish the flames and a further hour to cool the boiler – cause of the fire is being investigated)

EXPLOSION Gas pipeline exploded in Beiji Refinery (the gas transportation pipe in a Refinery exploded, resulting in a huge fire and material losses – the causes for the explosion are not yet known – the explosion left serious damage to the industrial complex)

DUST EXPLOSION Louisville Plant Explosion (two employees have been injured in an apparent explosion at an industrial park – the employees were using a metal rod to check a dust collector filter, apparently touching something that caused a spark and ignited a dust explosion – the workers were taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries – the incident happened at a company that makes panels for furniture, cabinets and other uses)

Chemical fire likely started by lightning (firefighters spent 30 minutes extinguishing a fire started by lightning at a specialty chemical company – no one was injured – fire crews wore full protective clothing and SCBA to deal with the fire that broke out in a tank of hydrochloric acid – the fire in the partially filled, 5,000-gallon tank appeared to be the result of a lightning strike that accompanied a band of thunderstorms crossing the region late in the day – due to the chemical involved, some decontamination was required once the fire was out)

FIRE Fire Department Determines Source of Fire at Tensar Plant, Confirms Accidental Cause (fire department has concluded its investigation into the fire that destroyed plastic products stockpiled in the external storage yard of a Plant – they have concluded that the fire started accidentally as a result of sparks or heat generated when the plastic material or the metal basket in which it was being moved by a fork lift in the yard, came into contact with the concrete pavement – all employees were safely evacuated)

Construction

WORKZONE Water Worker Injured By Flying Hose (a water department employee was seriously injured in a workplace accident overnight – a car drove over a hose causing it to fly up and hit the worker – the vehicle didn’t stop, but police said the driver probably didn’t know anything had happened)

FATAL FALL from MANLIFT Worker dies after fall at Benjamin E. Mays HS (a construction worker died after falling 20 feet from a hydraulic lift at a High School – the accident occurred at 1:45 p.m. as the unidentified man was working on an addition in the rear on the school, which is being remodeled – a metal pipe fell from a ceiling of the addition and struck the lift holding the worker – the impact apparently caused the worker to fall from the lift onto the pavement 20 feet below)

FATAL FALL One Person Dies On Job in Shelby County (a building collapse claimed one life and injured another person – a truss gave way causing the workers to fall about 20 feet to the ground – the crews were stripping a building down when the accident occured – the worker who died was airlifted to a Hospital with severe head injuries, while the other person was treated for minor injuries)

WORKZONE Construction Workers Injured Near Antioch (two construction workers were injured alongside westbound state Highway 4 at about 7:30 a.m. – it involved either rebar or a retaining wall – the workers suffered minor injuries and were transported to a Medical Center)

MIscellaneouS

FATALITY Investigation continues into fatal accident at tire shop (an accident at a tire shop prompted an investigation by OSHA – worker, 27, died after his fellow 15-year old worker drove a car into a bay – the car went off the end of the ramp and pinned him against the wall – he was apparently getting ready to help with an oil change – the 911 caller said he was pinned against the wall and was breathing but unconscious after the incident)

MOWER FATALITY Maintenance worker killed at Tooele County golf course (a maintenance worker, 73, at a Golf Course died when his riding lawn mower went into a pond, trapping the man underneath – he apparently drove too close to the pond’s edge – the mower flipped over and pinned him under the water)

CONFINED SPACE AUGER Farmer injured in grain bin accident (a man was transported by medical helicopter about 4:30 p.m. to a Hospital following a farm accident – he was reportedly sweeping out a grain bin with the auger running to blow out debris, when his foot was reportedly pulled into the auger – his wife was nearby when the accident occured and was able to turn off the auger and call for help – his left leg was injured)

LANDSCAPER CRUSHED Worker killed at Frederick landscaping company Thursday (a worker at a landscaping company was killed when he was pinned between two pieces of equipment – he was moving a piece of equipment when he became trapped between it and another piece of equipment – he was pronounced dead at the scene)